Be The Wiser - Business Operations Management
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january 2023

1/26/2023

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Common Mistakes That Business Owners Should Avoid
by Pam Weiser

The new year is here! Can you believe it? It’s the perfect time to start the year off right, with effective business strategies. As a business owner, it’s easy to continue doing what you know in the same manner, but when you don’t use your time wisely or overwork yourself, you can become burned out and lose motivation and productivity.

Here are some common mistakes made by business owners, and some helpful tips to improve your work habits.


Mistake #1 - Being disorganized. 
  • When you’re disorganized, you are less effective and less efficient. 
  • ​Deadlines may get missed, you may experience loss of control, and your accuracy may decrease, because you’re stressed. When you can’t make deadlines on time, you lose money.

Instead: Get organized!
  • Keep a list of everything you want to get done in the next few weeks. 
  • Prioritize your tasks. 
    • Focus on the most urgent and important items. The lower down on the list that the unimportant things fall, the less stress they will create. ​​

Mistake #2 - Trying to do everything yourself (and not doing it very well)
  • When you do everything yourself, you can’t possibly do all of the tasks to the best of your ability, and you become constrained by time. Maybe you dislike doing the operational and administrative tasks and they’re taking forever to complete. There is a time and place to do things for yourself (e.g. strategies and high level tasks) and when to decide to offload them. 

Instead: Delegate!
  • Decide what tasks you want to hand off. 
  • Delegation frees up mental space and time for you! 
  • Hire someone who has the experience to get the job done. 
    • Initially, you’ll need to do some training, but the outcome should be a partnership with someone you trust and you’ll get your time back to be in front of customers and clients.
Mistake #3 - Poor time management
  • Poor time management can cause rushing to complete projects, mistakes, and burnout. If you fall behind, you likely need to work until project completion, which can affect your work-life balance, and may ultimately affect your mental health. 
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Instead: Explore better ways to manage your time!
  • Use your calendar to block focus time and stick to it.
  • Work when you have the most energy.
  • Break up your larger tasks into smaller ones and do the most difficult task first. 
  • Focus on one task to completion at a time.
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When you are more productive, you can achieve your goals and the reward comes when you achieve those goals. By adjusting and developing better work habits, you create a positive path toward success.

If you’re struggling with where to start, let’s set up some time to chat.

“The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: 'I did not have time.'" -Franklin Field

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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January 2023

1/3/2023

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The Benefits of Streamlining Your Business
by Pam Weiser

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As a small business owner, you’re probably doing a lot of your tasks manually, which is likely taking a lot of time. If you can simplify or automate your processes, you become more productive and efficient, errors will happen less frequently - creating less risk, and you will save money. In addition, you create consistency in your business operations, which makes it easier to scale your business with less effort.

Where do I start?

  • Define your goals and get organized.
  • Plan and document your business processes and/or procedures. 
    • Can you remove any steps in any process?
    • If you’re out of the office at any time, the documentation should be able to provide any required information needed to complete tasks. 
    • Make sure the procedures are as specific as possible.
  • Purchase the product or service that works best for your business and outsource the implementation.
    • A consultant, who is knowledgeable about the product, can roll it out as well as train you how to use it. (hint: this is a huge time saver)
  • Determine how you’ll know when things are going well.
    • Are there reporting analytics that your CRMs or project management software can provide? 
    • Remember that you should be minimizing doing your tasks manually.

By automating and streamlining your business, you will be able to focus on the more important things, such as getting in front of clients and customers or planning strategies for your business growth. 


Imagine if you were able to get back a couple of hours that you lost because you didn’t have to focus on doing the smaller tasks.  Wouldn’t that be awesome? If you still don’t know where to begin, let’s set up a call to chat about how I can support your business and help you streamline your systems.


“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency”. – Bill Gates

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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NOvember 2022

11/29/2022

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How Procrastination Hinders Productivity
by Pam Weiser

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Procrastinate much? We all do it, and it hinders our productivity and success. Less productivity equals less achievement of our goals. Procrastination may make us feel better initially, because it creates space to do other things, but the longer you put things off, the more stress, overwhelm, and anxiety can, and probably will, creep in. 

When you’re up against a deadline and rushed, the quality of your work will be sloppy. Because you’re rushed, you may make poor decisions. And about the stress you’re probably experiencing…Stress creates health issues - high blood pressure, anxiety, depression. Procrastinating increases negative emotions and making decisions in an emotional state isn’t good for your business (or your health). Do you need health issues? I’ll answer that for you…NO! 


Here’s a list of tips to help you turn your procrastination into productivity.

  1. Make a to-do list of the items you need to complete. Focus on the list and the important tasks at hand.
  2. Get rid of your distractions. Turn off the phone and don’t log onto social media, unless it’s work related.
  3. Break projects down into smaller specific tasks. If one project seems huge and daunting, break it down into 2 or 3 smaller, more manageable tasks which will be easier to complete. When you create a process to completion, you become more efficient and effective.
  4. Ask for help. You don’t need to do everything yourself. Remember to focus on the highest level priorities. Paying someone to step in and do a project or help you occasionally for the smaller tasks will free up your time and will be worth the money.​

Procrastination is just an excuse. Rise to the challenge, get motivated, and get your tasks done. The effects of a job well done and your good reputation far outweigh the effects of procrastination.

Still procrastinating? Let’s set up a quick call to see how I can support you in becoming more productive.

Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun, until you get the bill. - Christopher Parker

Be The Wiser

https://www.bethewiser.net/
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september 2022

9/29/2022

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Work Smarter, Not Harder
by Pam Weiser

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The common saying “work smarter, not harder” originated in the 1930s. Allen F. Morgenstern, an industrial engineer and the creator of the work simplification program, coined the term. The program’s intent was to increase the ability of people to produce more with less effort.

We all want to be productive and get things done more quickly and effectively. No one likes to be stressed and overworked. In order to do that, working smarter is a much better strategy than working harder. 

What does that mean? 

It means that you’re in control of your own time, when you strategize and plan your priorities. How time is managed will be different for everyone, but there are some practical tips which everyone can apply, to produce more with less effort. 
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  • Plan and prioritize your most important tasks, based on your energy level - likely first thing in the morning, if you’re a morning person or late afternoon, if you’re a night owl.
  • Work in shorter blocks - 90-120 minutes at a time. Track your time using a time tracking tool or app. (I use Clockify, and it’s free!)
  • Delegate more tasks. You should be focusing on high impact activities. When the small tasks are becoming more challenging to complete, ask for help.
  • Stop multitasking. Focus on one task to completion at a time.
  • Take a break. Listen to your body. Step away when your brain is tired. Turn off your cell phone and relax. You’re not saving lives…everyone will be okay waiting for an hour, while you take care of yourself.
  • Stop striving for perfection. You don’t need to sacrifice your high standards, but completing the project has to be done. Don’t be so hard on yourself, if the client likes what you’re producing.

Being more intentional with your time will increase your productivity and increase your effectiveness. Working smarter, not harder allows you to focus on the important tasks, increases motivation, and gets you closer to your goals.

When you’re ready to delegate and/or discuss how to work smarter, let’s schedule a 30 minute chat.

​“It’s not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” - Bruce Lee

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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August 2022

8/29/2022

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How Operations Management Maximizes Productivity
by Pam Weiser

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First, just in case you missed it, I made an announcement via social media earlier in the month about rebranding myself as a Business Operations Manager, because it aligns better with what I’m doing for my clients. Thank you for your support and encouragement! 

What is Operations Management? 

Operations management is the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. In essence, operations management is responsible for maximizing the profitability of an organization.

Operations Managers analyze current processes and if needed, create new efficient processes and policies to help businesses scale. For example, this could be something like implementing a new CRM or LMS (Learning Management System) platform, updating your digital drive systems, automating your technology systems and processes, or writing a standard operating procedure for internal processes. 

How I manage your business operations
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  • I learn and understand your current process 
  • ​I have knowledge about different useful technologies
  • I help you streamline and standardize your processes
  • I help get you trained and remove challenges

When executed properly, operations process improvement will only increase productivity and may potentially lower costs, as well. Having a successful business operations system in place will transform your business and take it to the next level.

In my business, I also perform marketing administrative tasks, such as website refresh, blogs, newsletters, and social media management. 

When you’re ready to define your business operations or administrative best practices, let’s take 30 minutes and discuss how I can assist you. I would love to help elevate your business to become more effective, so that you can focus on what’s most important…PROFITS!

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” – Paul J. Meyer

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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JUNE 2022

6/20/2022

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Why It’s Important to Delegate Tasks 
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by Pam Weiser

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Think back over the last couple of weeks. How many times have you asked yourself why you’re still doing the grunt work and not doing strategic planning, or spending time in front of your clients? I’ll bet this has happened more than once and that you’re stressed and overworked. You might think that you have the time, or that it’s easier for you to do the tasks yourself vs. having to train someone, but it might be time to consider delegating.

Why? 


  • You only have so many hours in the day. You will get a lot more done if you disperse the work out to another efficient person or a team vs. only doing the work to the best of your ability, which may be minimal. Training someone to do those tasks will actually save you time, going forward, and more output means more productivity!
 
  • When you find the right person or team to delegate to, you will get the quality of work you expect. Take your time and make sure you have the right fit. Make sure to communicate clear instructions. Trust takes time to build, but once you find a reliable partner, who is empowered to make decisions on your behalf, they will be able to anticipate what needs to be done and complete those tasks, without much need for your time.
 
  • More delegation means more profits! Once you are able to get more off of your plate, you’ll free up time to meet with your clients and close deals!  This is why you went into business!​​

I think you’ll agree that these are a few good reasons! 

I have trained many small business owners, CEOs, and entrepreneurs how to delegate. Trust me when I say that the overwhelm and stress will disappear, once you have a partner whom you can rely on. I realize and understand the difficulty of relinquishing ownership of tasks and the feeling of loss of control. Delegation takes practice and small baby steps, but remember that you should be focusing on the bigger picture and you have better things to do.

Let’s set up a free 30 minute discovery call to see how I can help you take some of those daily administrative and operational tasks off of your plate.

“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.” - John C. Maxwell


Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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April 2022

4/26/2022

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Ways to Use Your Business Operations Manager
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by Pam Weiser

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You might be asking, “What does a Business Operations Manager do?” Basically, a Business Operations Manager is a person who performs operational tasks on behalf of busy people. If you’re busy, that task list may become endless and daunting. For many entrepreneurs, that task list contains many of the functions required to get their business set up and then maintained. If there was someone who could assist you, and alleviate the overwhelm, wouldn’t you want to utilize their help? The answer is YES! 

That’s where I come in! 

I use my years of professional expertise, along with my resourcefulness, tech savviness, organizational skills, and proactivity to help you get ahead of your list. Wouldn’t it be awesome to free up your time, so that you can actually focus on running your business? The answer is YES!  Not only will having an assistant free up your time, but the stress of getting things done falls off of your shoulders, and the convenience of having a partner to help, becomes a crucial part of running your business.

Here are some of the unlimited ways you can use a Business Operations Manager:


  • Calendar & Email Management
  • CRM Implementation & Maintenance
  • Digital Systems Organization & Management
  • Event Planning
  • Bookkeeping & Invoicing
  • Content Writing and Editing for Newsletters & Blogs
  • Website Refresh

With a limited number of hours in the day, you might be doing the bare minimum just to get by, and maybe not doing it very well. Let’s talk about how I can help elevate your business systems and processes, and take your business to the next level. Are you ready to have that conversation? The answer is YES!

Schedule a free 30 minute discovery call with me today!

“Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus trumps freneticism any day.” - John Coleman

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/


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April 2022

4/4/2022

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Are You Afraid of Outsourcing?
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by Pam Weiser

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Photo from Tonyrobbins.com
Let’s talk about fear. Where does fear in business come from? Many entrepreneurs will tell you that fear comes from the potential to fail. Many of those entrepreneurs, including myself, will also tell you that their fear motivates them to strive for success, and to do this more quickly. As that success comes, so does the growth and the efforts to scale become more urgent. Scary, right? This is the time to move out of the comfort zone and partner with individuals - potentially freelancers, who can give their immediate assistance, and so a semblance of comfort and normalcy will return.  This is also the time to figure out where you need the most help, and my guess is that it’s probably administrative, in nature. 

Here are some reasons that entrepreneurs might be hesitant about outsourcing help.

  1. Fear that a freelancer won’t be as good as someone you hire in house. This is false. Freelancers aren’t one size fits all. You can find someone to do almost anything, whether that’s managing your social media, scheduling, or working on projects, which have taken a backseat. Take the time to research and check past recommendations, and speak to the freelancer a few times about their skills, so that you’re sure to enlist a qualified and experienced individual. The last thing you want to do is have to pay someone else to do the tasks over again, because you cut corners, and the quality of work was less than stellar.
  2. Fear that a freelancer is more expensive than hiring in house. This is false. An experienced freelancer may charge more money per hour, but they are also covering their own tax payments, medical insurance, business insurance, along with any other business related expenses. If you were to hire this person as an employee, you would find that it will cost A LOT more. Consider the recruiting, onboarding, training, and equipment costs. Hiring a freelancer doesn’t require any of these things, except maybe some of your time for training, to get them up to speed. 
  3. Fear that freelancers are not as driven as those you hire in house. This is false. Freelancers forge their own paths to grow their businesses. This is a competitive field, and as markets change, it’s in their best interest to learn and grow new skills to accommodate different clients and their needs. A good freelancer gets satisfaction out of completing a successful project, in the same way an employee might. In the long run, this increases motivation, eagerness and confidence for the individual to do well. 

What do entrepreneurs and businesses have to gain from outsourcing? 

A freelancer can:
  • Increase efficiency
  • ​Save companies money
  • Help businesses scale
  • Ease the overwhelm

Seems worth it, doesn’t it?

Your fear of outsourcing might be doing you more harm than good. 

Let’s talk about how I can help! Schedule a free 30 minute discovery call with me, today!

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” - Jack Canfield


Be The Wiser 
https://www.bethewiser.net/
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march 2022

3/24/2022

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Don’t Should All Over Yourself
by Pam Weiser

I was sitting in a networking meeting today and someone said, “Don’t should all over yourself”. “Should” is defined as indicating what is probable. I immediately started thinking about how I need to change my mindset and verbiage from “I should do xxx” to “I will do xxx”. It’s easy to say that we should do something, which leaves a way out. In theory, if we will do something and commit to it, there is motivation and accountability to actually get it done. It’s also turning what could potentially be negative, into something positive.

I talk to a lot of entrepreneurs, who say that they are overwhelmed or overworked and “should” hire someone to help them. There’s that “should” word again. “Should” allows the pattern to continue, when they don’t have time to find help. Having little time to do much else but catch up, leaves little time for the priorities which really need their focus. 

The question these entrepreneurs need to ask themselves is “what is most important, right now?”
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  • Is it time management? 
  • Is it organizing your digital systems? 
  • Is it following up on customer calls or emails? 

In essence, “what do I need to do to help move my business forward, TODAY?” Oftentimes, that is hiring an assistant.

There will be a training and ramp up period, but when you find your flow, you WILL have more time during the work day. And once you find this partner, you WILL be able to offload more tasks, which WILL free up your time to put focus where you need it. Ultimately, the time it takes to actually hire someone is worth the effort in the long run. 

So, ask yourself…”should you hire someone to help?” or instead say, “I will hire someone to help.”?

I’m here to help walk you through how I can help. Let’s chat. 

No “shoulds” allowed.

​You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will. 
- Stephen King

Be The Wiser 

https://www.bethewiser.net/​
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